ASI definition: (n) A group of young Abercrombie & Fitch wearing, cell phone carrying students that are elected to represent Sac State to the best of their ability. Example: “As a prestigious member of Associated Students Inc., I will do my best in trying to cut the strings that our school administration pulls us with.”

People watching is a pastime I enjoy. Why the other day I saw a notorious ASI member in the proximity of an administrator and immediately saw a colorful before-and-after picture. For those of you in the dark of what ASI is, it is a non-profit, student run corporation that handles $6.8 million dollars of your money.

Your money. (Be careful guys, that’s not monopoly money you’re playing with.)

As a veteran school attendee (I’m only 21), I know how organizations like ASI operate.

What we have are kids from the Greek system, with titles, hefty paychecks ? that students pay for ? and enough responsibilities that makes me wonder if these students have bitten off more than they can chew. The recent cut in the Children’s Center evening program is a prime example.

The youthful members of ASI knew that there were programs that needed to be cut due to a budget deficit. Experience would tell them that formulating alternatives should’ve been a priority beforehand, not suggesting them in the aftermath as an excuse to silence the “noise” our community is making.

The ASI members can create all the task forces in the world, but by promising they are looking for solutions to the problem that they generated is not going to help the students find safe and convenient temporary placement for their children anytime soon.

But hey it’s not their problem, because most of them are practically children themselves. They are far too young to know the serious consequences of “another motion” they passed.

It’s easy to see how the students in ASI would take a wonderful opportunity to use our school as a trial and error training ground for their future career in politics, but they really have to weigh their decisions because it personally effects lives. They probably know this, but it can be easy to forget how influential they are when they’re constantly being pushed and pulled by so many conflicting interest groups.

And as always, in true political fashion, ASI President Jason Bryant calmly assures his audience that they have his utmost commitment to work with the students? yada yada yada.

That’s nice Mr. President but realistically, what are those poor students supposed to do in the meantime?

This issue should not be swept under the University Union rug. I encourage the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) to take some real action and I wouldn’t stop with ASI. I’d make “some noise” with the school administration as well. God knows that Sacramento Hall needs some life in it. Perhaps all the parents could drop their children there, since nothing happens in Sacramento Hall. Hey, maybe President Donald Gerth could baby-sit?

Okay that’s pushing it. It’s not Gerth’s fault that ASI cut the Children’s Center evening program. And it’s not entirely Bryant’s fault that parents can?t find another suitable placement for their kids while they attend school. So whose fault is it ? the parents of course. I mean how dare they enrich their lives by working during the day and going to school at night all in attempts to make their children’s future brighter.

Don’t they know that ASI has other programs to think about, like, uh?Green Thunder? Boy those parents have some nerve.

And so does ASI for not having any compassion by cutting a valuable program without considering the tears and headaches you no doubt caused.

Put that on your resume, ASI!

Georgette Todd is a Journalism major and can be contacted by email at [email protected].